Water-closet



No. s|3,a4s. Patented Nov. a, |898.

.1. J. PHELAN.

WATER CLUSET.

(Application led Nov. 17, 1896.) (No Model.)

e cams crine ca. mmournn.. wAswNcYoN D c UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

JOHN J. PHELAN, OF W'ORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

WATER-CLOS ET.

srnr'rcATIoNforming part of Letters Patent No. 613,846, dated November8, 18,98.

Application filed November 17, 1896. Serial No. 612,409. (No model.)-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN J. PHELAN, of theY city and county of Worcesterand State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Water-Closets; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification, and in which- Figure l represents a side view of a water-'closet embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof withits wood seat shown in section. Fig. 3 is a plan of the closet with thewood seat removed. Fig. 4 is a central vertical longitudinal sectionthrough the closet and its wood seat. Fig. 5 is a vertical section, uponan enlarged scale, of part of the closet hopper and bowl,'also theclamps for fastening said parts together. All the following figures arealso upon the same enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a vertical transversesection through the crown of the closet-trap and a back view of theseat-support, said ligure also showing a transverse section on line a ofsaid seat-support. Fig. 7 is an enlarged View of a portion of thesectional view shown in Fig. 4, taken on line b, Fig. 2; and Fig. S is atransverse section on line a, Fig. '7.

The object of my invention is to provide a water-closet of simple,strong, and durable construction and which shall present a smoothunbroken surface between one part and another throughout the length ofits waterway without any recesses or indentations to become foul in use.It is designed more especially for use in hospitals and similarinstitutions, but is equally applicable for other places. i

Said invention consists of certain improvements in the construction ofthe hopper and bowl, the seat-support, and the trap clean-out of awater-closet, as will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

To enable others skilled in the art to which my said inventionappertains to better understand the nature and purpose thereof, I willnow proceed to describe it more in detail.

Referring to the drawings, A represents the combined hopper and trap, Bthe bowl, C and D the clean-out? and vent, respectively,

thereof, E the wood seat, and F the seat-sup` port, of the water-closet.

lMy improvement in the hopper and bowl construction consistsin makingsaid parts so that the outside of the bottom of the bowl will fit theinner surface of the hopper, as is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, with ashoulder c on the bowl resting on the upper edge of the hopper and thebottom end of said bowl against a shoulder d on the hopper, with arubber gasket, leather, or other suitable packing e interposed betweenthem, as is also shown in said Figs. 4 and 5. As is well known, thecustomary way has been to place the packing between the upper end of thehopper and the shoulder on the bowl and the lower end of said bowl madesmaller than the hopper, thus leaving an annular space or chamberbetween the lower end of the bowl and inside of the hopper, where dirtand foul matter constantly collect and renders the closet offensiveunless frequently cleaned out at said point. By my method of forming theseal at the bottom of the bowl, as shown and described, nothing canenter between the outside of the bowl and the hopper, and consequentlythe above objection is entirely obviated, and a smooth clean surface isprovided at said bowl and hopper connection.

In practice the hopper and bowl are clamped together with several metalangle-clamps B of the proper shape to fit the surfaces of said hopperand bowl and secured by screws B2, passed through slots in the clampsand into the hopper, said slots being oblong in shape to admit of theadjustment of the clamps.

-My improvement in the seat-support consists in attaching the same tothe crown of thetrap in the following manner: A bearing or seat f isformed upon or secured to the crown of the trap provided with verticalscrew-holes, and to said bearing or seat is secured by bolts g g a frameh, made substantially U-shaped, with two horizontaloppositely-projecting arms h h at its upper end, said frame extending upand supported on top of its arms, and a removable metal plate t toreceive the wooden hinged seat E, which is fastened thereto by suitablescrews, the frame h and bed-plate i being provided with verticalscrew-holesj for the purpose. It will IOO at once be apparent that aseat thus supported is rendered very firm and substantial, and directlyover the coupling 7a, where the flush-pipe connects with the bowl, as isshown in the drawings, said coupling is protected from injury.

It is preferable in practice to make the bedplate t with downwardly-projectin g flanges t around the edges thereof, projecting down over theedges of the horizontal arms 7L of frame 7L; but as it is not anessential feature I do not limit myself thereto.

The trap clean-out C is constructed as follows: Inside of the hub C/ ofsaid clean-out is arranged a collar C2, of brass or other non-corrosivematerial, which is calked into the hub against an internal shoulder C3,formed on said hub with melted lead and oakum, as is shown at C4 in thedrawings. Said collar is externally threaded at its outer end to receivethe screw-cap p, and at the outer extremity thereof is formed anexternal annular recess, forming a shoulder for an elastic packing p tofit against, between the same and screwcap p, a thin portion p2 at theinner edge of the collar extending nearly or quite to the inside of thescrew-cap when the latter is fitted in place.

The object of the above-described construction is to produce awater-tight seal between the clean-out and its screw-cap, so that thethreaded portion over which said cap tits may not become corroded andrendered difficult to turn,as would be the case were the cap screwedonto a threaded portion on the iron hub and the joint between the capand hub not made absolutely water-tight, as is commonly the case.Another advantage of said construction is that owing to the outer end ofthe collar coming against the inside of the cap when it is screwed on itprevents the packing p from being squashed or flattened out. In fittingthe parts said packing is made a little large, so that when the cap isscrewed down a tight connection may be secured, while the pressurethereon is controlled, as aforesaid.

Another improvement in the clean-out consists in employing a core orplug Z, which tits therein, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 7, said core orplug being provided with an external annular shoulder m, which tsagainst a suitable packing fa, resting on an annular shoulder orprojection o, formed on the inside of the hub of the clean-out. Theinner end of said core or plug is concave in form to correspond to thecurved shape of the inside 0f the trap, so that when it is fittedtherein, as is shown in the drawings, a smooth unbroken surface isproduced instead of the usual recess or opening in the trap at saidpoint.

IVhen it is desired to clean the trap, it is simply necessary to removethe usual screwcap p and withdraw the core or plug and then replace itagain after said cleaning operation. It will therefore be seen that Iaccomplish a very desirable result-viz., the closing of the usualopening from the trap at the clean-out and thus obtain a smooth innersurface, precluding all possibility of fouling Said clean-out may bereadily and conveniently opened to reach the interior of the trap toclean the same.

It is not deemed necessary in practice to hold the core or plug at itsouter end from longitudinal motion; but, if desired, an elastic packing133 or other suitable means may be employed for said purpose betweensaid core or plug and the screw-cap p, as is shown in Fig. 7.

My improvement in the trap-vent consists in combining with the trap andits vent-pipe a Y branch, located between the crown of said trap and itsconnection with the said pipe and made integral with and pointing upwardat an acute angle from said trap, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of thedrawings, and to which Y branch the vent-pipe is adapted to be fastened.I am of course aware that a Y branch in piping is a very old feature;but I am not aware that a Y branch has heretofore been employed on awater-closet trap for the purpose of effecting a connection between saidtrap and its vent to bring the opening or passage in the Y branch andsaid vent pointing upward at an acute angle from the opening or passagein the trap, as herein set forth. The advantage thereof is that infinishing the closet the water and other contents are less apt tospatter or be thrown up into the ventpipe connection than by the usualconstruction, and therefore removes in a large measure the liability ofsaid vent becoming clogged or closed and also renders the same moreclean and less offensive from the lodgment of impure matter therein.

The vent D is preferably located on 'the side of the trap and consistsof the Y branch q, formed on said trap, and the usual ventpipe r, whichis connected therewith and serves as what is commonly termed the backair-vent of the closet for Ventilating the bowl thereof.

My improved closet has been designed, as previously stated, moreespecially for use in hospitals and similar institutions and has alreadybeen adopted in one of our largest public insane-asylums; but it isequally applicable for all places where other water-closets are used.The clean-out C and vent I), it will be undcrstood,may of course bearranged to come at any desired points on the trap other than thoseshown in making the same.

Having described my invention, what I claim therein as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a water-closet, the combination with the crown of the trap havingthe rigid bearing or seat thereon, to receive and support frame 71 ofsaid frame h, made substantially U shape, with two horizontal,oppositely-projecting arms, h', h, at its upper end, horizontalbed-plate fi, and seat E, said bed-plate preferably having flanges i"projecting down over the edges of arms h 7L and secured on IOC) top ofsaid arms, and the seat in turn being fastened on top of the bed-plate,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. In a Water-closet, the Combination of the usual hub and screw-cap,the clean-out (the hub having an internal annular shoulder o thereon)with the removable core or plug Zadapted to fit in said hub, and havingan external, annular shoulder 'm thereon corresponding to the shouldero, also having its inner end formed to correspond to the shape of theinside surface of the trap, and the packing n, interposed between saidshoulders m and 0, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a Water-closet, the trap A, having the Clean-out hub C thereon,the threaded collar C2 ealked into said hub of the trap and havin g anexternal, annular recess in the side of its outer extremity, the hub Calso having a shoulder o inside of the inner face of the collar C2, thescrew-cap p adapted to fit over the end of said collar, and the paekingpinterposed between said collar and screw-cap, in Combination with theremovable core or plug Z adapted to t in the hub C and collar C2, andhaving an external annular shoulder m thereon corresponding to theshoulder o on the hub, also having its inner end of substantially thesame shape as the inner face of the trap, and the packing n interposedbetween said shoulders m and o, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

JOHN `J. PHELAN.

Witnesses:

A. A. BARKER, W. B. NoURsE

